'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' and State Parks encourage kids to 'Be a New York Ninja for Fun and Fitness'

by jmaloni

Submitted

Thu, Aug 7th 2014 12:05 pm

Pictured, from left: New York State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" actors Megan Fox and Will Arnett, New York's Gigi Semone, and youth from Harlem RBI in front.

The
film's stars and filmmakers join officials from New York State Parks and the governor's
office for motion pictures and television development at fan appreciation
screening of film

New York State Parks Commissioner Rose
Harvey was joined Wednesday by Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies' "Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles" stars Megan Fox and Will Arnett, director Jonathan
Liebesman, producers Andrew Form and Brad Fuller, Gigi Semone (executive director
of New York state governor's office for motion pictures and television
development) and a group of children from Harlem RBI (a state-funded local
youth organization) at a fan appreciation screening of "Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles." They were there to support an initiative that encourages youth to "Be
a New York Ninja for Fun and Fitness" while visiting New York state parks this
summer.

"The Turtles, as energetic role models
who are active and fit, offer a perfect opportunity to make an inspirational
link for kids between fitness and visiting their local state parks for exercise
and fun year-round," Harvey said. "Thank you to Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon
Movies and the NYS governor's office for motion pictures for helping to promote
the importance of a healthy lifestyle."

"The New York film industry gives back to
the communities in which it thrives in more ways than one - by generating
millions of dollars for local businesses and hiring thousands of New Yorkers,
and also showing its appreciation for fans with this special screening of 'Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles,' " Semone said. "When it comes to staying active and fit,
the Turtles are great role models for kids, and we are proud to partner with
the State Parks department, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies to
showcase the latest Turtles movie and encourage New York's youth to maintain a
healthy lifestyle."

Since the film tax credit program started
in 2004, it has leveraged an estimated $14 billion worth of direct spending. It
has been a huge job generator for New York. Under Gov. Andrew Cuomo's
leadership, the industry has experienced explosive growth since 2011, with
record-breaking years for productions and post-production in 2013, bringing
billions of dollars in new spending and thousands of jobs into New York.

Officials said the stability provided by
multiyear funding has particularly encouraged the development of television
series production work, as well as long-term investments in infrastructure, all
of which creates thousands of jobs directly and indirectly related to the
actual productions themselves.

During calendar year 2013, applications
for 181 film productions were submitted, and included 124 films, 31 television
programs, 25 pilots and one "relocated" television show. The impact of these
projects includes:

•Generating a direct spend of $2.09
billion in New York;

•Collecting a projected $466 million in
credits; and

•Hiring an estimated 126,301 actors and
crew for the 181 projects submitted.

The New York State Office of Parks,
Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 179 state parks and 35 historic
sites, which are visited by 60 million people annually. For more information on
any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or
follow on Twitter.

The New York state governor's office for
motion picture and television development, a division of Empire State
Development, offers film, television and commercial productions and post-production
tax credits for qualified expenditures in New York. The office also serves as a
liaison between production companies and city and local governments, state
agencies, a network of statewide contacts, local film offices and professional
location scouts and managers.

For more information on filming in New
York or the film production and post-production tax credit programs, visit www.nylovesfilm.com.